We'd love ideas about getting from Florence to Vienna...probably by train. Is overnight the best? Will we miss gorgeous countryside by night travel? How many hours by train at night or by day? (We're active "seniors" but we need a little comfort.)
Posted by
Lewiston, Idaho, USA
2092 posts
Hi Nancy, I checked the Deutsch Bahn site and found a non-stop, leaving Firenze SMN at 21:53, arriving Wien Süd at 8:52 (11 hour trip) otherwise it's a10 to 17 hour trip. I then tried whichbudget.com and skyscanner.net but didn't find anything I'd want! I checked for departures out of Pisa as well as Florence. If I were doing this trip, I'd probably plan a 1 or 2 night stop-over at a city in between but that's partly because I vowed in 1998 never to take overnight trains--I'm a light sleeper and the train was too noisy for me.
Posted by
Bonne Terre, Missouri, USA
29 posts
I took the opposite route (Vienna to Florence) in July 2007. This train ride is ranked by one of the tour books as the 2nd best train ride in the world (after the trans-siberian ride). I was tight on time and used night trains often on my trip, but this was a beautiful ride. It was an all-day ordeal, but the scenary was spectacular. The small Austrian towns nestled in the valleys of the mountains, snow capped peaks was a really neat thing to see.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
It is a very scenic train ride; I suggest you make it by day. Those European trains are very comfortable. You didnt say when you will make the trip, but normally I would suggest making seat reservations as soon as you land in Florence.
Posted by
Charleston, SC, USA
174 posts
Nancy,
I am taking this train Thursday evening from Firenze S.M.N. @ 21:53 with an arrival at 8:52. Cost was 70EURO for a seat, 90EURO for a couchette. While its supposed to be a very scenic route, we found this to be the most efficient as far as saving money and time.
You didn't mention when you would be making the journey but this time of year the trains tend to fill up on the weekends because Vienna is very enjoyable this time of year, especially with the Christmas market! Be sure to make a reservation through trenitalia.com or when you arrive in Firenze.
I'm very excited about the trip! Enjoy your trip as well!